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His blue eyes glistened "How could I tell you so like that, Leah? I didn’t want to make you afraid I just wanted you to be happy To not have to worry To have a fresh start without the fear of so you into a whore Truth was, I was terrified Russell would track you down I sent him a note after we ran away, and I threatened to call the police and tell the for you I didn’t think that would keep hi any of that"

It never occurred tolike that from me just tohe’d let me in on that

"But your father…" I started and hed "My father’s just a drunk, Leah Nothing ot physical, but he’s never instigated it"

"You hate hie was dysfunctional That wasexample of what relationships are like, and I don’t want any part of it Things can go froood to bad in a blink of an eye And my mom worsened around him, and in return it fucked up s that…" He paused and shook his head His eyes went red in recollection "They destroyed each other That’s what love does, Leah It destroys people Look how far I pushed you"

"You always made it clear," I replied quickly "It wasn’t your fault It was my own"

"No, Leah, it wasn’t your fault at all You were right before I need you more than you need me It’s always been that way, since the first ti on your porch I saw your blonde hair and it reminded me of my mom, and all I wanted to do was look at your face When you turned to ht you were beautiful I’d watch you so by yourself, doing your own thing I re you attack Graeme I’d sort of hoped he would pick on you just so I could co I expected was for you to jump him like that It was incredible

"I s were shit, but life was simple, and now those days feel a ia back I need to feel like I deserve sitting next to you I hurt you I’ve always hurt you, and I’m a piece of shit for it"

"We’re young," Iat him closely as his blue eyes looked intofor each other"

His chest gave out beneathHe kneas right I was co to peace with it

"You’re not where I a "You’re not ready to open up I’ve reached the point where I realize I can’t help you Only you can do that"

He didn’t say anything He just listened, and the pain on his face burnedback a cry "I pushed you I took you however way you’d give me, and I realize you’ve taken over oing to be a"

I nodded "One day So are you And… ain and on different terain, and it be just that Friends But not now"

"We can try," he pressed er skimmed my lip "I want you with me I want you to come I’ll take care of us I’ll… I’ll do whatever it takes Just come with me With the band It’ll be a new start And we’ll be friends True friends, Leah Please"

I s to it "No, because it would mean you can’t touch me like that, Carter"

His jaw tensed and he shook his head in denial "I can do that I’ll –"

"We’ve depended on each other in two different ways, and we need to find our own selves," I told him "I have a future here, and yours is out there That’s the way it has to be That’s the only way it’ll work Othere’ll ruin all that we are, until there’s nothing left but the bad, and I don’t want that to happen"